Morocco protest against rape-marriage law

17 March 2012 

Women's rights activists want article 475 of Morocco's penal code to be repealed

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Several hundred women's rights activists have demonstrated outside Morocco's parliament to demand the repeal of a law on sexual violence.

Morocco's penal code allows a rapist to marry his victim if she is a minor as a way of avoiding prosecution.

A 16-year-old girl, Amina Filali, killed herself a week ago after being severely beaten during a forced marriage to her rapist.

The protesters held signs saying, "The law has killed Amina".

The parents of Amina Filali were at the protest, says the BBC's Nora Fakim, in the Moroccan capital, Rabat.

Morocco protest after raped Amina Filali kills herself

15 March 2012 

Campaigners want the controversial article 475 scrapped

Continue reading the main story

Related Stories

• Why Morocco’s king survived the Arab Spring
• Morocco profile

Moroccan activists have stepped up pressure to scrap laws that allow rapists to marry their victims - after a 16-year-old girl killed herself.

Amina Filali swallowed rat poison after being severely beaten during a forced marriage to her rapist.

An online petition has been started - and protests are planned for Saturday against a law branded by campaigners as an "embarrassment".

The penal code allows the "kidnapper" of a minor to marry her to escape jail.

'Dishonour'

Women's rights groups say the law is used to justify a traditional practice of allowing a rapist to marry his victim to preserve the honour of the woman's family.